Pressure operated switch



Oct. 4, 1932. E. D. BONHAM PRESSURE OPERATED SWITCH Filed July 28, 1930 INVENTOR EaT'Z BBOnh/am Wan 14 WITNESSES ATTO R N EY5 Patented Oct. 4 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EARL D. BONHAH, OI BENTON, WASHINGTON PRESSURE OPERATED SWITCH.

Application filed July 28, 1930. Serial No. 471,302.

, but which is held in inoperative position by the pressure in the tube under normal conditions.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a resilient member with means to contact with a contact member to close a' circuit connectedwith a signal when the pressure in a tube reaches a predetermined point.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a disc with contact means to contact with a contact member, the movement of the disc relatively to the contact member being controlled by pressure at the sides of the disc and the disc and contact member being connected in a circuit witha signal.

Additional objects of'the invention will appear in the following specification in which the preferred form of the invention is described. x

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all the views, of which Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating a portion of an automotive vehicle provided with my improvement,

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view illus trating the valve stem, and the means for closing a circuit in the tube.

2 By referring to the drawing, it will be 'seen that a wheel is provided with a circular contact plate 6 on its inner side adjacent the hub with which contacts a brush 7 disposed in a drum 8 and carried. b a plate. The brush 7 is mounted by an'ysuitable means and is insulated from the plate, a wire extending from the connection with the brush and forming a'lead from the pressure-operated switch;

From the'plate 6, which is insulated from the wheel 5, a wire 16 extends, this wire the wheel 5, as best illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. This wire 16 has a terminal 18' which is adapted to fit in a socket 19 in a valve stem 20, a conducting means 21 extending from the socket 19 to a contact member 22 at the inner end of the valve stem 20. This conducting means 21 is disposed in, but is insulated from, the valve stem 20,

as illustrated in Figure 2. s

The inner end of the valve'stem 20 has a plate 23, the tube 24 being secured between 7 the plate 23 and the body 25 of the valve stem by means of a washer 26 and a nut 27, the nut meshing with a thread at the outer side of the valve stem 20 in, a manner readily understood. Therefore, the plate 23 will be disposed at the inner side of thetube 24, this plate 23 having secured to its periphery a cup member 28 which has shoulders 29 to which the periphery of a resilient disc 30 is secured. This resilient discis preferably corrugated, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The body 25 of the valve stem 20 and the cup 28, as well as the plate 23, are manufactured of conductive material and it will, therefore, be seen that a contact member or means 31 mounted on the resilient disc 30 is positioned to engage the contact member 22 and that it will be connected through the resilient disc 30, the cup 28 and the body 25 of the valve stem 20 with a wire or conducting means 32,which leads to the drum 8, which serves asa ground leading to the ground 15 on the automotive vehicle frame. As will be seen by referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, there are openings 33 in the 'cup'member 28 between the resilient disc 30 and the plate 23 so-that air from the tube may'freely passjto and from the space enclosed by the plate 23, the disc 31 and the side walls of the cup member 28. The disc air pressure in the t-iibe24, butwhen the air pressure in the tube 24 approaches nor-' fuel it will serve to press the disc. 30 away from the plate 23 so that the contact member" or means 31 will be spaced from the contact member 22. This will be the normal posi tion of the contact members 31 and 22. However, when there is any deflation of the tube 24 the reduced pressure in the tube and in the cup 28 between the disc 30 and the plate 23 will permit the disc 30 to move so that the contact member or means 31 will engage the contact member 22. This will close a circuit, as will be understood, to light any desired signal.

lVhat is claimed is: 1. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a cup member with a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube, a resilient disc supported in the cup member with a side normally exposed to the air pressure in a tube with which the valve stem is connected, the resilient disc having electrical communication with the valve stem through the cup member,'and a contact member at the said side of the resilient disc for electrical engagement by the resilient disc.

2. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube, a contact member adjacent the plate, a disc for electrically engaging the contact member, and means to support the disc relatively to the plate for movement by pressure in the tube.

3. In apressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a plate, for engaging the inner side of a tube, a cup member secured at its periphery to the plate, a disc in the cup member having contact means and having a surface exposed to the pressure in the tube, and a contact member adjacent the plate positioned for engagement by'the contact means.

4. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube,.a cup member secured at its periphery to the plate, a disc in the cup member having its periphery engaging the cup and provided with contact means, thecup member having an opening between the disc and the plate to permit air to pass between the cup member at one side of the disc and the tube, and a contact member adjacent the plate positioned for engagement by the contact means.

5. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a contact member at its inner end and a conducting means leading to the contact member, the contact member and the conducting means being insulated from the valve stem, and means at the inner end of the valve .stem for contacting with the contact member when the pressure in the tube with which the valve stem is normally connected is below a predetermined point.

6. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a contact member at its inner end and a conducting means leading to the contact member, the contact member and the conducting means being insulated from the valve stem, a plate at the inner end of the valve stem for engaging the inner s de of a tube, a cup member secured to the plate, a

contact means for engaging the contact member, the cup member having an opening between the disc and the plate to permit air to pass between the tube and the cup member between the disc and the plate.

7. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube, the valve stem having a contact member at its inner end and a conducting means leading to the contact member with the contact member and the conducting means insulated from the valve stem, a cup secured to the plate, a disc in the cup having contact means for engaging the contact member, the disc having a surface exposed to the pressure in the tube.

8. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube, a cup secured to the plate, a corrugated disc in the cup having its periphery in the cup and provided with contact means, the cup having an opening between the disc and the plate, and a contact member adjacent the inner side of the tube for engagement by the contact means on the disc.

9. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a cup member with a plate for engaging the'inner side of a tube, a resilient disc supported in the cup member with a side normally exposed to the air pressure in a tube with which the valve stem is connected, the other side of the resilient disc being acted on solely by fluid pressure between the resilient disc and the cup member, and a contact member at the first mentioned side of the resilient disc for engagement thereby.

10. In a pressure-operated switch, a valve stem having a cup member with a plate for engaging the inner side of a tube, a resilient disc supported in the cup member with a side normally exposed to the air pressure in a tube with which the valve stem is connected, the other side of the resilient disc being aeted on solely by fluid pressure between the resilient disc and the cup member, the resilient disc having electrical communication with the valve stem through the cup member, and a contact member at the first mentioned side of, the resilient disc for engagement contact member for electrical engagement by p the resilient disc.

EARL D. BONHAM 

